


chase the sky into the ocean

by creampuffqueen



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Babies, Cousins, Family, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Feels, Future Gen, Gen, Holidays, Kids, Kids are curious, Pregnancy, Short Stories, Teenagers, another is a shadowsinger, baby announcement, generation two, kid friends, kids are messy, kids listening to stories, kids taking in animals, one kid is a shifter, parenting, story keeper, training kids, ugh it pains me to not use caps in titles and chapters but it looks more a e s t h e t i c, will add tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 13:49:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20743217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creampuffqueen/pseuds/creampuffqueen
Summary: These are some short stories involving all of my original child characters in the Throne of Glass and ACOTAR series. Short, fluffy, family type stories, both for the soul and to help me flush out some of these characters more, and for y'all to understand them more!The lyrics in the title are from the song Something Wild by Lindsey Sterling and Andrew McMahon.





	1. just like we were kids

~But still we laugh, we cry, we fall, we get high~  
~Just like we were kids, just like we were kids~  
~And when I, I'm feeling small you get me through it all~  
~Just like we were kids, just like we were kids again~

“Folas. Psst. Folas.”

Folas Lochan, fifteen years old, heir to the city of Perranth, shot straight up in his bed, dark hair a mess.

The boy glanced around frantically for a moment, before his ears picked up on the soft giggles from the foot of his bed.

Princess Lyria Galathynius stood before him, in all of her golden glory. She was wearing a simple tunic and leggings, and her hair was unadorned, instead braided simply down her back.

“Lyria,” He hissed, “What in the gods’ name are you doing in my room? It’s- it’s not even light outside yet.” Because the only light that illuminated the suite was candlelight, fires summoned by the princess herself.

“It’s nearly dawn, for your information. Hurry up and get dressed; I have a surprise for you.” Her smirk was big and slightly devious, yet Folas trusted her completely. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Lyria politely turned around while he rooted around for some clothes, idily flicking her braid back and forth while she waited. Folas tugged on a tunic and pants of his own, and had hardly finished buckling his belt when Lyria turned back and grabbed his arm.

“Where are we going?” He asked cautiously. Lyria creaked the door open slightly, looked back and forth, then dragged him out of his room and into a small alcove down the hall.

“Don’t worry about that.” She murmured. “Right now, mind getting out of here unnoticed. If we’re careful, the guards won’t even know we’re gone.”

He muttered, “Curiouser and curiouser,” before she roughly grabbed him again and dashed down the hall, her trained Fae feet making almost no noise. 

They made it to the end of the hall with no incident, and kept going. In all his fifteen years frequenting the Orynth palace, he’d never known so many places to hide. He’d be wonderful at hide-and-seek, when his brothers inevitably wanted to play it.

Lyria managed to sneak them through the entire palace without being discovered, making Folas wonder how long she’d been planning this. 

They made their way out back, and were finally able to walk freely. There were guards outside, yes, but significantly less than inside the castle itself. So few, that the pair was able to walk side by side again.

Lyria led him to the stables, where it was pitch black inside. The princess lit a small flame in the palm of her hand, the fire illuminating her smile.

“I promise it’s not going to burn. I won’t risk the poor horses like that.” She walked confidently down the rows of stalls, the flickering flame in her hand the only indication of where she was.

She stopped in front of one stall, where, from Folas’s limited perspective, a lovely brown mare stood.

Lyria glanced around for a moment, before she found a torch in a socket in the wall. She flicked her hand, and fire roared to life on it. The princess used the light to see as she opened the stall and let the horse out.

Folas watched on in silence as Lyria saddled the mare, like she’d done it a million times before. She was mesmerizing, the way she moved to confidently, so sure of herself. She could have been doing everything wrong and yet Folas would have been convinced she knew exactly what she was doing.

“This is Whiskey. She’s my favorite. You can choose any horse in here, they’re all docile.” Lyria stroked the mare’s nose as she talked, then lifted her hand and pointed to a stall a few over.

“But if I were you, I’d choose Miah. He’s gentle, he won’t throw you off.”

Folas heeded her advice, choosing a light gray stallion. He saddled him up, slightly less confidently than Lyria had, then led the horse over.

“Care to explain why we’re taking off in the middle of the night on horseback, Princess?” He queried. Lyria rolled her eyes.

“Calm yourself. You’ll find out in due course. Just know, I think you’ll love it.”

They led the horses outside and mounted them. Sure enough, the stallion was as gentle as could be. Lyria stroked Whiskey’s dark mane, then shot him a devilish grin, and took off at a gallop. Folas wasted no time in following.

The darkness of the sky was fading slowly, the sky lightening from a deep purple-blue to a pale periwinkle. The horses’ hooves thundered, even on the ground that was still wet with dew.

The Oakwald forest rose up to meet them, gnarled trees, centuries old, blocking out the light all around them. He would have been lost if it wasn’t for Lyria, and the way she seemed to be a living flame. Embers trailed after her, and fire seemed to dance in her golden hair.

The horses appeared to know the route well, and had no problem following a worn deer-trail. They leaped over fallen logs with ease and dodged young saplings that sprouted in the way, and didn’t once slow to nibble at the tantalizing green grass.

The rising sun pierced through the branches of the forest, and Lyria beamed at the light. Her smile was contagious, and even in his confusion, Folas’s lips twitched in the beginning of a grin.

After a few more minutes of silence, Lyria suddenly pulled her mount to a stop. Miah stopped behind her, dipping his gray head to some leaves on the sides of the path.

“We’re going off trail.” Lyria declared. Before Folas could say anything, the princess had spurred Whiskey forward, into the thick underbrush. There was a small, hardly noticeable path, as if a deer or another creature had only recently been through.

Folas’s horse followed with no complaint, walking through the forest at a leisurely pace. Fresh sun spilled down between the branches, illuminating the once-dark woods. 

“I know where we’re going.” Lyria chattered. “And you’re going to love it.”

“I’m sure I will.” He assured her. The princess looked over her shoulder and beamed at him, flushed cheeks crinkling. 

The scents of the forest seemed to awake with the sun, the pungent odor of the woods and animals and flowers combining in a dizzying swirl as Folas breathed in. Ahead of him, Lyria took a deep breath, and smiled broadly.

The small, hardly worn path soon led to what Folas knew was their destination: a large clearing full of flowers. The floral scent was nearly overwhelming, but Lyria seemed to take it all in her stride.

Both horses made their way into the grove, and the princess dismounted easily. Folas gave Miah’s mane a stroke before slipping off himself. Lyria glanced back at him, then gently took Whiskey’s reins and led her into the clearing.

Folas did the same, and kept following the princess. They arrived upon a small pond, not very wide in diameter, but deep enough he couldn’t see the bottom. The water was fairly clear, and the sun reflected off it in a shimmering array of colors.

The horses moved to drink from the pond, and Lyria took Folas’s elbow. She led them to the edge of the clearing, and she sat and leaned against a tree. Folas did the same, taking in the lovely landscape as he did so.

“It’s beautiful.” He whispered. It felt almost taboo to speak, to disturb the serenity of the place. So he whispered instead. 

“I’m not able to go here often.” Lyria murmured. Like she felt the same way about the loud noises. “I’m so busy, you know. Sam and I discovered the place when we were younger, and we got lost while exploring the forest. Our father found us, but we decided we didn’t want anyone to know about this place. Except, Sam doesn’t come here often, either. So I wanted a person to share it with.”

She wouldn’t meet his eyes, like she was afraid that he’d say something bad. But… he wouldn’t. Lyria never seemed like anything but confident in herself, and was odd seeing her so vulnerable.

“Thank you.” He said. “I mean it. Thank you for sharing this with me.” The sun rose further overhead, though it was still early morning. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d woken up in his bed at dawn, though it couldn’t have been more than a couple of hours.

Lyria’s smile returned, and she stood, dragging him up as she did so. She strode towards the pond, to where the horses had stopped drinking and were now grazing at the plants on its banks.

“I’m swimming.” Lyria declared. Folas cocked his head curiously, and she smirked. The princess shucked off her shirt, and he nearly choked. Folas turned around, feeling heat rise in his face. Lyria giggled behind him.

“You can turn around now.” He did so, and the princess, only in her undergarments, took a running leap, and landed with a massive splash in the pond.

Folas sputtered as freezing cold water washed over him. When he opened his eyes again, Lyria was bobbing in the pond, her golden hair sodden. 

He playfully growled, “I’ll get you for that.” Then he ripped off his own clothes and jumped into the water. Lyria squealed, swimming away with large strokes.

The water was frigid, despite the fact it was early summer in Terrasen. The cold sucked all the air out his lungs, but he was determined. He paddled after the princess, making sure the water splashed her as he did so. 

Lyria laughed and swam away, green eyes sparkling. Folas reached out for her, managing to grab one of her ankles and pull her towards him. The princess shrieked playfully and tried to get away, but he held tight and dragged her over. 

When she was close enough, he let go for a split second, declared, “Hold your breath!” and shoved her under the water.

Lyria came up again a few seconds later, gasping in fake horror. “You bastard!” She shouted, pushing down his shoulders so he went under, too.

Folas swam to the surface, and shook his dark hair out like a wet dog, earning more squeals from the princess. She splashed him back, and soon the pair were in an all-out water battle.

They swam after each other and pushed them under for a few seconds, being careful enough that no one was injured. They splashed and splattered water on each other, and at one point they had a competition to see who could hold their breath the longest. Lyria won, though Folas insisted she cheated. (He had no proof, of course).

When they finally flopped down onto the banks, breathing hard yet unable to contain their smiles, the sun was well up.

“We should head back.” Folas suggested. Lyria groaned, but pulled herself up and went to fetch her clothes. The horses, startled by the splashing, had moved their grazing to the edge of the clearing. 

Folas stood up as well, and was headed to his discarded pants, when a flash of white caught his attention.

His breath caught in his throat. No- it couldn’t be. “Lyria.” He hissed.

The princess turned around, opening her mouth to speak, but her words seemed to freeze in her mouth.

A pure white stag stood right outside the clearing, its snowy fur nearly obscured by the thick trees. However, it was still completely visible to the two teenagers. As was the lick of flame that burned between its antlers.

Lyria came to her senses first, going into a deep curtsy, despite the fact she was only in her soaking wet undergarments. Folas quickly followed suit, bowing deeply. 

He took a small glance up at the stag. It seemed to dip its head back at him, a twinkling in its dark eyes. It held his gaze for a moment, before turning away and bounding off.

“I’ve never seen one before.” Lyria said softly, after the stag was no longer visible. Folas nodded absently, finishing his task of getting dressed again.

He turned back to the princess, who was dressed as well, and was heading for the horses. He followed her, as he always did, though his mind was elsewhere.

The stag- it had seemed to bow back to him. Yet it did nothing to Lyria, who was a proper princess and heir to the throne of Terrasen. He wondered if he’d imagined it.

The princess in question tutted impatiently at him, snapping him out of his stupor. He smiled at her, at her green eyes and golden hair that stuck to her back. 

“Let’s go home.”


	2. i'll dance with you, i'll laugh with you, like it's christmas in the room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shut up I know its only september but i couldn't help myself so i wrote this. 
> 
> the lyrics are from the song Christmas in the Room by Sufjan Stevens

~Oh, I can’t see the day when we’ll die~  
~But I don’t care to think of silence~  
~For now I hear you laughing~  
~The greatest joy is like the sunrise~

Winter Solstice was a beautiful time of year, Elain had to admit. Though it was a well-known fact that she preferred the warmth of spring and summer, winter had its own charm.

Winter Solstice was not only a celebrated holiday, it was Feyre’s birthday. Elain had spent the morning with her younger sister, and even now, in the evening, their shared laughs and smiles still echoed in her mind.

It was dark outside. It was always so dark in the winter. Elain supposed that was why the solstice was so celebrated in the Night Court. 

“Are you comfortable, love?” Azriel’s soft voice prompted her out of her thoughts. Even simply looking at him, the male that she loved, brought a grin to her face.

Azriel handed her a wine glass that was half-full, and he sat next to her on the couch with his own. After giving him a moment to situate his wings, Elain leaned into the warmth of her husband.

She swirled the wine thoughtfully in her glass, though she didn’t drink. Instead, she admired the tree, and the fire blazing in the hearth.

Az had picked the tree; a sturdy, straight pine. Elain had decorated it, painstakingly covering it in faerie lights and winter blooms. The green of the needles was offset by red and white flowers, and glass baubles that shimmered in silver and gold. 

“I’m tired.” She murmured, more to herself than anything. She’d woken up early to visit Feyre, as well as her young nephew, Cirrus. The boy was ten months old and _days_ away from walking. She’d stayed there until the afternoon, where she then went to eat lunch with Nesta and Cassian, and their own little bundle of joy, Tess.

She’d rushed home from lunch to the market to buy ingredients for dinner, and had busied herself with doing that. Before she knew it, it was time to leave, and she and Azriel had spent hours at the River House, spending time with the Inner Circle and opening gifts. By the mother, she’d been on her feet all day.

“We don’t have to go out, Elain. Nobody will mind if we go to bed.” Elain smiled up at her husband, pressing a chaste kiss to his jaw. She pulled away gently, keeping her fingers cupped on his cheek. His hazel eyes were soft as he looked down at her, curled up against him.

“I don’t want to go to bed.” Elain said after a moment. “I just want to stay here, with you.”

Azriel took her hand from his face and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Of course.” 

Elain set her wine glass down on the side table, not feeling like alcohol. She took Azriel’s as well, so he’d have both hands free to hold her close.

He did just that, tugging her onto his lap and kissing the top of her head. Elain could not remember ever feeling so happy, so loved, as when Azriel looked at her. Like she was the only person in his world.

Outside, a jaunty tune started, the beginning of the night time celebrations. People would party until dawn, honoring the longest night of the year.

Elain relaxed into Azriel’s touch, letting him run his fingers through her loose hair. Her eyes fluttered closed, though she hummed softly along to the music outside.

When she blinked her eyes open again, the dim faerie lights greeted her. The light reflected off the shiny paper that was still under the tree, from the gifts she and Azriel had given each other.

Feeling suddenly compelled to do so, she gently pushed out of Azriel’s embrace and made her way to the mantle, where small paintings and evergreen garlands lay. 

Instead, Elain reached up for a small white candle, and brought it back to the side table. A box of matches sat there, and she used one to light the candle. The scent of cinnamon filled the room, and she smiled.

“A change in scent.” She said to her husband, who lounged on the couch still. Outside, in the streets, the music faded away, then came back again, with a gentler song. 

“Dance with me.” Azriel offered. He stood up and held out a hand, which Elain gladly took. It wasn’t a real dance, but she didn’t care in the slightest. It was a gentle movement, a swaying to the music, and breathing in each others’ scents. 

“Happy Solstice.” Elain said, letting Azriel twirl her across the room. The fire in the hearth blazed merrily, and the happy song outside continued.

“Happy Solstice, Elain.” He repeated. They moved slowly, savoring the feel of the other in their arms. 

In his arms, Elain felt safe. Safer than she had felt in a long time. Even being wrapped in her mother’s arms had never felt so wonderful. Despite this, she felt a sudden nervousness, an apprehension at what she was about to say.

“Azriel.” She murmured. “There’s something I need to tell you.” He stopped moving, though he still held onto her. His eyes were gentle, so gentle. In his gaze, she felt a spark of confidence in her chest.

“I wanted to tell you a while ago, but I decided to wait until I was sure.” 

“Sure of what?” He asked.

“Sure that my vision was right.” Elain continued. “I wanted to be sure… that I’m pregnant. That we’re having a baby.”

Azriel stood before her, looking utterly flabbergasted. He was normally so adept at hiding his emotions, but at her words, his jaw dropped. 

“A baby?” He breathed. “An actual baby?”

“Yes, love.” Elain said softly. “We’re having an actual baby, and I’m completely sure of it.”

Azriel pulled her forward, tears gathering in his eyes. He lifted her up and kissed her, twirling her around as he did so. Elain still heard the gentle music outside, and she was sure the moment couldn’t get any more perfect.

“I’m going to be a dad. You’re going to be a mother- Elain, you’ll be the best mother.” He still kept her aloft in his arms, grinning from ear to ear as he talked. 

Then he put her down and kneeled, dark wings flaring slightly. He leaned forward and kissed her still-flat stomach, tickling her through the fabric of her dress. Elain giggled and held one of his hands, feeling tears come to her own eyes as well.

“I love you so, so much.” Azriel’s voice was confident, and strong. And his eyes were full of devotion. Elain ran her hands through his dark hair, feeling on top of the world. 

In about seven months, she would have a baby. She would have her own son or daughter to hold and to love, forever and always. And Azriel would, too. 

He stood up, tugging her close and capturing her mouth in a deep kiss, his hands cupping her face. When Elain pulled away, breathless, she stole a glance around his wings.

The song they’d danced to had long ended, another bright tune in its place. However, that was not what caught her attention. 

Small, white flakes were falling from the sky. Snow. The ground outside was already covered in it, leftover from a small snowstorm a few days prior. But fresh flakes were falling on top of that, leaving the snow banks covered in powder. Elain couldn’t help her gasp of delight, causing Azriel to turn and look.

“Snow.” He breathed. “For our little winter baby.”

“It’ll be born in the autumn, silly.” She giggled. 

He turned back and smiled at her, wider than she’d ever seen him. “I don’t give a damn when it’s born. Just as long as we’re all right here together for it.”

Elain felt her own smile broaden. “Happy Solstice, Azriel.” 

“Happy Solstice, Elain.” He replied. Tenderly, he brushed a scarred hand over her abdomen, where their tiny little baby grew. 

“And happy Solstice to you, Baby Archeron.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey kids, I'm back, I really should stop getting new story ideas, not when I haven't updated some in like six months. Sorry lol. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Follow me on tumblr, come and chat about these kids with me at creampuffqueen!
> 
> The song the chapter lyrics are from is called Kids Again, by Artist vs Poet.


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